Making Fat Indian wedding greener : Green Wedding Ideas

Global warming is the significant discussion all around the world. With this alarming threat, what steps have you taken to save our planet? In Indian weddings, most of the time people show off costly dressed, pieces of jewelry and spend so much money that we don’t realize and this completion makes the marriage not only fatty but also buy things which go against the Global Green. Green Wedding is not only eco-friendly but also pocket-friendly Her is are a set of ideas that can be implemented.

Note: Wrote this article in 2010. Its a thought which I always had looking at the amount of money we spend on marriages.

Green wedding

Making Fat Indian wedding greener: Green Wedding Ideas

  1. Wedding Cards
  2. The attire of Bride and Groom
  3. Decor
  4. Photography and Sound
  5. Food
  6. The Venue

1] Wedding Cards

Prefer Email over Paper Mail for your friends: When you get your wedding card ready, get a scan of it and send it as an email invitation. This way you can save tones of wedding card getting printed and send them faster with zero cost.

Relatives to whom you cannot send an email or where a personal touch is required a paper wedding card is a must. To make it more economical and eco-friendly get your Wedding card printed in a recycled paper(Like one of those CRY cards).

Green wedding invitation

You can even think of making a hand-made card out of leftover packing papers combined with bamboo or sugarcane cuttings etc. Yes, you will need help from your friends and relatives. It will tempt you to know the new idea about this wedding. But “keep the environment green” is what these cards are also trying to spread. I would suggest you watch the kids show where they show how to use leftovers to create excellent impressive stuff.

2] The attire of Bride and Groom

Next thing that will strike is about the attire of the bride and the groom. Choose organic cotton and khadi over synthetic and silk. One might not like the pure material. After all, we all want to look different on our BIG DAY. If you’re going to wear silk than go to non-violent silks. Try out silk achkans and kurtas.many fashion designers have started using eco-friendly fabrics on wedding attires.

Green wedding shoes

3] Decor

  • Use oil lamps instead of electricity. You might have to be careful, but this can be done by using a good idea and taking precaution at the same time.
  • Tents made of Khadi is used in place of synthetic fabrics.
  • Real flowers, potted plants, and seasonal flowers will add beauty all around instead of using plastic decor, which is harmful when disposed of.
  • Use kitchen masala and colors to make Rangolis instead of buying synthetic colors. Use Wooden dust, turmeric, etc.

When we are discussing all, have you noticed one thing? Is the preparation going on without adding pressure on the environment?  It will make you feel as if Mother Nature is enjoying with you.

4] Photography and Sound

Does eco-friendly wedding mean no camera, no sound? No. Now we cannot remove, but we might think of optimizing it.

Most of the weddings play music too loud, which not only disturbs the outside environment but also inside. Use two large speakers instead of 4. This way you will be able to save electricity and reduce noise pollution. Play music in such a way that it doesn’t hurt your ears.

You can pick up photographers who follow the green trend. Taking pictures might not have so much of alternative yet but when you get your wedding album ready here are few tips you can follow :

  • Get a digital album done instead of a physical album. You can send it across the copy of it all your relatives. Being in the age of computer and Internet we should be leveraging these facilities.
  • Share your pictures on professional sites like Facebook, Flickr, or Google Photos. These sites do offer you almost free accounts, which can help you host your photographs and memories forever.

5] Food

  • Avoid using coal and wood; use regular gas instead.
  • Use organic ingredients.
  • Instead of using glossy plates made of glass etc. use disposable plates which can be recycled later — the same idea which we were trying to put into the wedding card.
  • Or If you are arranging where people can sit and eat, use Banana leaves and cups made of betel leaves.

6] The Venue

  • Select a venue which is open and has more natural light and fresh air. It will cut the amount of light required when you prepare for a function in the day time.
  • Get an electrician or a person who is good in placing lights. The advantage you would get over a regular guy is proper usage of lights which gives you most light, and you save some bucks. Use more or fewer power lights than high power; they waste electricity and produce more heat.

I am eagerly waiting for such a wedding invitation, and I know that no one will miss the chance if invited. Do spread the message and idea to keep the environment clean and green if you do have a marriage coming up, share these with them, and see if you can make it happen.

Though the older generation might not like it if the new generation can start making up these soon, we will see people saving money on marriages and make the environment green too. Let’s raise voice against global warming. and take steps to protect the world. Come up with ideas and suggestions.

4 thoughts on “Making Fat Indian wedding greener : Green Wedding Ideas”

  1. Hi!

    I thought your article was simply superb!
    I just don’t understand why we indians end up inviting the world and it’s dog to our weddings.
    Is it really necessary to invite 800+ guests? On top of this the amount of plastic plates, paper napkins and cutlery! Furthermore the choice of food provided by the host at £3.00 plate to save money is not worth being sick over!
    Everything seems to be a stage show! Surely a wedding is a union between two people who are in love and want to start their journey as a couple with the least damage to the environment as possible!
    At the end of the day the families try and make so many savings that their guests never really appreciate how much sacrifice and effort has been made.
    Change needs to happen!
    I usually re-use the wedding invitation and make a beautiful greeting card from it!
    Less showing off and more care for the environment for our children and their children!!

  2. Indian weddings are known for their grandeur and no compromised celebrations. But couples in India seem to become more eco-friendly by trying to “Go Green” when it comes to their grand Indian wedding. Thank you Mr. Ashish Mohta for giving us such an informative blog filled with ideas of going green on every important element in a wedding day.

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